February 13, 2012WASHINGTON – Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) today made the following statement after House Republican leaders announced they are preparing to bring forward a bill to extend the payroll tax cut while leaving behind federal unemployment insurance and the so-called doc-fix.

“It’s unfortunate that House Republican leaders are manufacturing another crisis even as the Conference Committee continues to do its work. It’s completely irresponsible to leave behind nearly five million unemployed Americans whose benefits will expire and 47 million seniors and disabled Americans whose access to health care would be jeopardized. House Republicans chose the go-it-alone path in December to nearly disastrous effect and American families cannot afford a repeat performance.”

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“Because the president and Senate Democratic leaders have not allowed their conferees to support a responsible bipartisan agreement, today House Republicans will introduce a backup plan that would simply extend the payroll tax holiday for the remainder of the year while the conference negotiations continue regarding offsets, unemployment insurance, and the ‘doc fix.’ If Democrats continue to refuse to negotiate in good faith, Republicans may schedule this measure for House consideration later this week pending a conversation with our members. Democrats’ refusal to agree to any spending cuts in the conference committee has made it necessary for us to prepare this fallback option to protect small business job creators and ensure taxes don’t go up on middle class workers.

“This is not our first choice. Our goal is to reach a responsible agreement in conference. But in the face of the Democrats’ stonewalling and obstructionism, we are prepared to act to protect small businesses and our economy from the consequences of Washington Democrats’ political games.”

The part that is so sick is they know in the end they will pass all of it.

This is just more grand standing for their base while they make people dependent on their actions even more despondent. They preach about uncertainty in business etc. yet seem to forget the hell of uncertainty the UE go through (not even mentioning the hell that the 99ers lives have become).

I hear you....all that is on the agenda is their political propoganda and to hell with the rest of the country....especially the 99'ers. This is just so sick in so many ways...I can visualize more small businesses shutting down for starters and people continuing to become underemployed or unemployed.